All the women and children who come to live at The Second Step are homeless when they arrive. The average family has moved 3-4 times before coming to live in the program and has had to leave a permanent residence because of threatened or actual abuse. Often families arrive with only a garbage bag or two of possessions and no financial resources. All are on welfare when they arrive. Because these women have usually spent years with an abuser who has controlled their every move, they have little to no self-esteem and are often afraid to venture out into the community. They live in fear that their abuser may contact them or people they care about. Essentially, they are in hiding.

The Second Step's housing environment provides a safe and supportive home for families, who may stay up to 12 months or longer if necessary. Our supervised, cooperatively-run residences enable the women and children to learn to negotiate and compromise, while at the same time being free to openly express their needs and desires. They learn that there are socially acceptable ways of expressing anger and displeasure, and that violence is not an option.

Within three months of entering the program, all women participating in The Second Step program must be enrolled in an educational setting, participating in a job-training program, or employed. Our goal is to remove each family from dependence on public welfare and to help them become economically empowered. We use available community resources to help residents develop life management and technical skills.

A survivor of domestic violence can partially recover from physical and emotional injuries in a crisis shelter, but she cannot develop the skills necessary to become financially self-supporting in a short time. The Second Step program enables her to receive training and support while she develops the capacity to be the breadwinner in her family. Additionally, she gains skills and self-confidence to maintain employment and stop the vicious cycle of abuse.